Accession No

0126

Brief Description

Gunter scale, English, 18th C

Origin

England

Maker

Class

mathematics; calculating

Earliest Date

1700

Latest Date

1800

Inscription Date

Material

wood (boxwood)

Dimensions

length 610mm; breadth 42mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Hutchinson Collection

Inscription

Description Notes

Boxwood Gunter scale with one bevelled edge.
Obverse carries scale of inches divided [0] - 24, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.1. Equal scale, marked ‘Lea’ divided [10] - [0] - 200, numbered by 10, first 10 subdivided to 1. Scale of rumbs, marked ‘Rum’ divided [0] - 8, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.25. Unequal scale marked ‘M.L’ divided [0] - 60, numbered by 10, 0 - 20 subdivided to 2, 20 - 60 subdivided to 1. Scale of chords, marked ‘Cho’ divided [0] - 90˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Second scale of rumbs marked ‘Rum’ divided [0] - 8, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.25. Second scale of Chords marked ‘Cho’ divided [0] - 90˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Scale of Sines marked ‘Sin’ divided [0] - [90˚], numbered by 10˚ up to 70˚, 0 - 10˚ subdivided to 1˚, 10˚ - 70˚ subdivided to 2˚, 70˚ - 80˚ subdivided to 5˚. Scale of secants marked ‘Se’ divided [10˚] - 70˚, numbered by 10˚, 20˚ - 50˚ subdivided to 2˚, 50˚ - 70˚ subdivided to 1˚. Scale of tangents marked ‘Tan’ divided [0] - 80˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Scale of semi-tangents marked ‘S.T’ divided [0] - 160˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 2˚. Two unnamed equal scales of different lengths divided [1] - [0] - 10, numbered by 1, first 1 subdivided to 0.1. Left hand end carries scales of inches and half inches divided 10 - [0] and [0] - 20 with transversal scales for division to hundredths.
Reverse carries various log scales. First one marked ‘S.R.’ (semi rumbs?) divided 1 - 8, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.25. Next marked ‘T.R’ divided 1 - 4, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.25. Next is a scale of numbers marked ‘Num’ divided 1 - 10[0], numbered 1, 2,...9, 1[0], 12, 2[0], 3[0]...10[0]; 1 - 2 subdivided to 0.02, 2 - 10 subdivided to 0.1, 10 - 20 subdivided to 0.5, 20 - 100 subdivided to 1. Next is a scale of sines marked ‘Sin’, divided [40´] - [90˚], numbered 1, 2, 3...10, 20, 30...80; 40´- 10˚ subdivided to 10´; 10˚ - 30˚ subdivided to 1˚, 30˚ - 80˚ subdivided to 2˚, 80˚ - 90˚ subdivided to 5˚. Next is a scale of versed sines, marked ‘V.S’, divided [0] - [167˚], numbered by 10˚ [but 1 omitted from numbers above 100]; 10˚ - 20˚ subdivided to 5˚, 20˚ - 90˚ subdivided to 2˚, 90˚ onwards subdivided to 1˚. Next is a scale of tangents marked ‘Tan’, divided [40´] - 45˚, numbered by 1, 2, 3...10, 20, 30, 40, 45; 40´ - 10˚ subdivided to 10´; 10˚ - 45˚ subdivided to 30´. Next is scale of meridional parts, marked ‘Mer’, divided [0] - [85˚], numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 5˚. Finally a scale of equal parts, marked ‘E.P’ divided [10] - [0] - [1]70, numbered by 10 (but 1 omitted from numbers above 100).

Condition good (ink spot on reverse); complete

References

Events